Weaver's Blogging Guide

When students blog, potential employers could be watching. KEEP YOUR WEBLOG PROFESSIONAL & POLISHED.

You must always think about your audience, no matter how niche it may be. You should also keep ethical and legal issues in mind as well as what makes a good blog worth visiting and credible. Images, graphics and video dress it up, but it will always come back to good, solid writing. That's exactly why you should never post a first draft entry. Edit what you write. Spelling errors and typos tarnish you and your blog. I suggest writing & editing entries with a word processor, then copy and paste into the blog.

Here are more tips I offer my BC Capstone students when it comes to blogging:

Showcase Good Communication Skills

1. Invest time and research into your content.

Write enough to communicate meaning with the reader, but avoid overkill. Have a point and get to it.

Write what you know about-- concentrate on what you're passionate about and make that the focus of your blog.

Showcase your work. Promote your talent, skills and experience.

Demonstrate your knowledge and experience by correctly using the terminology of your profession.

Connect your entries to topical events and issues in your field.

Offer your own style and voice and be consistent with it.

2. Always attribute!

Plagiarizing, fabricating or other BS is not tolerated. Such misdeeds will often be challenged publicly and will haunt you in your professional efforts.

3. Offer Links!

The more links you offer the better the chances your blog could turn up in a web search.

Link back to your sources (this offers transparency, attribution and validity to the points you want to make).

ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!

What you post is public so be ready to stand by it.

1. Never reveal personal, private information.

Never blog about your personal life. Limit contact information to comment areas or postings that your blog can forward to you. Also turn on the blog features that will let you screen out e-mail scrapers, SPAMMERS, etc.

2. Never blog proprietary or privileged information.
Never disclose company secrets or information shared with you in confidence. Off the record means off the record. Don't even hint about something proprietary or priviledged as it will flag the attention of corporate lawyers who are now in the business of patrolling blogs for such violations.